Taking an old side table and making it usable for our sports room wasn’t the easiest furniture flip I’ve done, but after some trial and error, I managed to transform it into a piece that works great in the room. The side table makeover for a sports room took a while to complete, but the end result was worth the effort.
The piece is part of a bedroom set that I got from my mother. The matching vanity got a chalk paint makeover and is a pretty addition to our bedroom. I didn’t have a need for the side table in the bedroom, but it was just the right size for our sports room. Like the vanity, this had been given a rough paint job at some point. I completed this piece before I tackled the vanity. It was because of the issues I had with this piece that I decided to use chalk paint for the vanity.
Side Table Makeover for a Sports Room
Supplies Used
- Citri-Strip Gel
- Gloves
- Protective Eye Wear
- Scraper
- Lint Free Cloth
- Odorless Mineral Spirits
- Abrasive Stripping Pad
- Palm Sander
- Primer
- Paint
- Brush
- Sealer
- Plastic Sheets to protect work space
- Vinyl Decal
I researched safe paint strippers and after finding a lot of positive information and great reviews of CirtiStrip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel, I decided to give it a try. It contains no methylene chloride and it is non-caustic. The manufacturer says it is safe to use indoors. That’s just what I was looking for.
I followed the directions provided on the container, including the use of gloves and eye goggles while working with the product.
Steps to use CitriStrip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel
- Apply gel to surface with paint brush
- Allow gel to work for 30 minutes to 24 hours
- Use a scrapping tool to remove old paint
- For stubborn areas, use odorless mineral spirits and abrasive stripping pad
- Use a lint free cloth to remove any loose paint and residue and to dry the furniture
I waited for an hour before using the scrapper to remove the paint. This was a very messy process. I had plastic sheets on the floor to protect it. I also found it useful to have several cleaning cloths close at hand to wipe off the scrapper frequently. I had a small pail nearby to place the removed paint in. The sides of the table were much easier to work on than the top. After scrapping for a couple of hours, the top still needed more.
I continued working on the piece the following day. Once I had most of the paint removed, I used odorless mineral spirits and an abrasive pad to get most of the remaining paint off. There were still a few spots that I could not get smooth. I used my palm sander on those spots, lightly sanding the areas as needed.
I used the same primer and paint and process that I used for the TV Console makeover. Even though this piece is solid wood, not laminate, I thought it would be best to use primer before painting it. Both the primer and the paint go on smoothly and dry quickly.
I let the piece sit overnight after giving it two coats of paint.
To give the table more of a sports room look, I added a vinyl Atlanta Falcons decal to the top. I made sure to press it down firmly and get any bubbles out so that it was very smooth.
The last step was to add Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish. I used a sponge brush to apply a light layer.
While the makeover for this side table was time consuming and required a lot of elbow grease, the end result is just what I had in mind.
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Side Table Makeover for a Sports Room
I would recommend CitriStrip mainly because it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals and is safe to use indoors. It did work well, though I didn’t anticipate having to work quite so hard to free some spots from the paint. That’s why I decided against using it for the vanity makeover. I still have a third piece from this set that needs a makeover. It’s a large chest of drawers with four deep drawers. I haven’t decided if I’ll try stripping the paint or if I’ll use chalk paint for it. This isn’t a sponsored post, I just wanted to pass along what I thought of the product. Have you tried it?
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Debra Wise says
Where did you get the Falcons vinyl decal?
Beverly says
I bought the decal on Amazon.